Cleaning implement for firearms



Oct. 31, 1944. c. w. GILLIGAN I CLEANING IMPLEMENT FOR FIREARMS 'Filed Jan.

Patented Oct. 31 1944 Application January 23, 1942, Serial No. 427,930

' 2 Claims. (01. 15-143) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention pertains to a flexible shaft cleaning tool for the barrel chamber of a rifle.

Because of space limitations at the breech portion of a modern gun of the Garand type, considerable difficulty has been experienced in properly cleaning the barrel chamber. When the bolt is etracted to provide access to the chamber, the follower is presented in an elevated position. This hinders the insertion of a cleaning rod in the barrel chamber and prevents a conventional rod from being accurately aligned with the axis of the bore. Since it is customary to oscillate or rotate the cleaning rod as well as to reciprocate it axially in the chamber, the proper bushing or swabbing action so as to provide a uniformly clean bore has not been possible. Furthermore, with cleaning tools which heretofore have been employed, interference with the follower and various surfaces on the receiver of the gun have resulted when the tool was manipulated. This seriously impaired the effectiveness of the device and the speed of operation. Resort was made to curved or pivotal'ly jointed rods to avoid some of these difficulties. However these difficulties were but partially corrected and the cleaning operation was still slow and somewhat clumsy.

' It is therefore an object of this invention to i provide a cleaning device which is arranged for quick insertion and removal, swift and facile manipulation, and accurate alignment with the axis of the barrel chamber of a gun.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rotary cleaning tool for the barrel chamber of a rifle which is free from operational interference by elements at the breech end of the rifle.

clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the'accompanying drawing in which: 1

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the assembled implement,

Fig. 2 is an exploded elevational view of the device, with a part thereof in section, Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail of a portion of th tool,

Fig. 4 is a, top plan view of the breech portion of a Garand riffe sho-wingthe tool in its operative position, and y Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of a swab tip adapted for use in the tool chuck. Referring to the drawing, the implement comprises a handle portion I affixed to a shank II to which is attached a helical spring I2. Secured to the other extremity of the spring is a notched chuck element I3 provided with a movable internally threaded collar I4. A detachabl chuck engaging element I having threads I6 is arranged for threaded engagement with the internally threaded collar I4 and positive coupling with chuck element I3. Element I5 is provided with a hollow internally threaded eX- tremity I! which is conditioned to receive a threaded fitting I8 in a cleaning attachment I9 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This member is provided with an elongated, substantially cylindrical brush having a diameter somewhat in excess of that of the barrel chamber. A pair of heli-cal ly twisted wire rods 2| produce a satis- A further object of the invention is to provide a cleaning implement for use in the cramped quarters at the breech portion of a gun.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a cleaning device which is adapted for continuous rotation as well as reciprocation in the gun breech when the handle of the device is at an angle to the axis of the cleaning member of the device.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an extremely flexible cleaning tool for the breech end of a rifle that is capable of transmitting a high torque at any angle of flexing.

' The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will factory core support for the bristles.

The handle I0 is preferably a knurled cylindrical head although other types may be used. A most satisfactory form of spring I2 is produced when spring stock of rectangular cross section as shown in Fig. 3 is bent into a helix. This type of coil seems to provide maximum flexibility in conjunction with great torque transmitting capacity even when the spring is bent into an acute angle. However, spring wire which is circular in cross section or other flexible material may be employed. The spring engaging ends of the shank II and the chuck element I3 are preferably of reduced diameter so as to be seated in several of the convolutions of the coil; see Figs. 2 and 3. Welding or brazing at these zones may be employed to produce a secure bond.

The threaded collar .I 4 is arranged to rotate freely and reciprocate axially a limited distance on chuck element I 3. This chuck element is pro vided with an enlarged head 22, the rear face 23 of which is conditioned to engage the annular shoulder 24 at the rear of the collar I4; see

and having an elongated ring 26 at its free end Ring 26 is adapted to receive a fabric swab (not shown) for use in the final cleaning operation on the barrel chamber.

The use of the implement is as follows: With the tool assembled as in Fig. l, the flexible portion is bent into an abrupt angle as shown in Fig. 4

and the brush attachment I9 is inserted a suitable distance in the barreL-chamben Combined axial pressure in the direction otthe muzzleof the gun and rotation impartedwith the fingers on' the knurled handle l progressively advances the brush into the bore. The 'brushjmmediately assumes a position coaxialwith the bore and proceeds to clean the wall 'of the barrel chamber uniiormly, The spring. 12 permits the application of ample torqueforfrotatipn in one direction or for oscillatory movement. Furthermore the creation of a, sharp bend avoids interference with such, components as thelfollower 21 and miscellaneous elements and surfaces on thereceiver 28 as represented in Figfl. This results in a quick efiective uniform cleaning of the barrel chamber,"

The tool is removed from the barrel and the brush attachment I9 is replaced by the swab tip 25 in the following manner. Collar 14 is rotated so as to remove chuck engaging element l5 from threaded engagement therewith. The notched portion of the swab tip 25 is placed in interlocking relation with the notched portion of chuck element l3 and then the threaded collar {4 is tightened on the threaded notched portion ofth swab tip This couples} the -members together and' a suitable swab may be inserted through the ring 28 and wrapped about the tip. The barrel chamber is then polished in the manner previously described in connection with the brushing, operation,

I claim:

1; A barrel; cleaning device comprising a three part cleaning member holder of inflexible sections including a handle member and shank thereon,

a threadedshouldered end member for attachment to a cleaning member, an intermediate member. provided witha shouldered head. for cooperating'with theshoulder on thelendmeme e a threaded e efimminsthae dm mber; and intermediate member',.. and: a spiral, spring connecting the handle' s'h'a'n k nirribenwithl the intermediate, member and adapted .to transmit torque when. the deviceis rotated on a non rectilinear, axis T 2; The invention of claim 1 characterized. in that the sleeve is provided with a flange for ,en-. gagement with. the vhead on the intermediate member to prevent; displacementof said sleeve fromsaid intermediate. member.

,VW. Gimmes. 

